Ray Wylie Hubbard Performs July 13th
Headline act at amsdconcerts
If you are on the e-mail list for Carey Driscoll’s amsdconcerts shows, you know that every now and then Driscoll openly despairs that regular concert-goers won’t take his word and risk $20 on an “unknown act.” This is especially so in light of his guarantee: if you don’t like the act and leave before the second set starts, he will hand your money back. (What other venue can you think of that does that?) Despite providing links to songs, bios, reviews and more, there is a considerable sector of Driscoll’s audience who isn’t going to come unless they recognize the artist and know the songs. I have stood guilty of this in the past.
On July 13th, amsdconcerts is presenting just such a show. Don’t make my mistake on this one and avoid it because you haven’t heard of Ray Wylie Hubbard. Says one reviewer: “His lyrics and presentation are reminiscent of tent-revival HYPERLINK “http:// www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ B00000JMK5/rambles”preaching on a night when you just know some listeners are going to get their toes stepped on. Ray Wylie Hubbard writes the kind of songs that make you want to ride along no matter where he’s going, because you know it’s going to get strange somewhere along the way.”
A leading figure of the progressive country movement, Hubbard is well-known for penning the hit classic “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother” recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker in 1973. Hubbard doesn’t look like a guy who wrote one of the most enduring redneck anthems ever, making him jukebox-famous back in the ‘70s. Since then, his work has matured considerably, partly thanks to a sobered-up Stevie Ray Vaughan who helped Hubbard get clean and then get serious about his music. Over the past two decades, Hubbard has become one of the genre’s most respected songwriters. In the 1970s, Hubbard joined country music outlaws Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson as part of the progressive country wave in Texas music. Unlike the straight singers from Nashville, they grew long hair and stacked rock ‘n’ roll on top of their country music.
“While that song certainly helped launch his career,” noted David Goodman in Modern Twang,
“its immense popularity has tended to obscure the depth and complexity of Hubbard as a songwriter and musician. Hubbard’s writing became deeply spiritual, his musical landscape populated by preachers with a pistol in one hand and a Bible in the other.” Ten albums later, Hubbard has distinguished himself as an elder statesman of Texas music and songwriting.
Since 1992, he’s released a series of albums, each more impressive than the last. Hubbard’s latest album The Grifter’s Hymnal” was released in March 2012 to stellar reviews and he performs all over the world. Hubbard hosts a Tuesday night radio show from Texas called “Roots & Branches,” promoting new and established Americana artists. With a keen eye of observation and a wise man’s knowledge, Hubbard composes and performs songs that couldn’t spring from anywhere else but out of his southern roots.
Ray Wylie Hubbard. Photo courtesy of Todd Wolfson.
Hubbard will be appearing at asmdconcerts, 4650 Mansfield Avenue in Normal Heights at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 13th. Tickets are $20.00 for reserved seats in rows eight and up, and $47.00 for the first seven rows, along with the dinner package at De Mille’s, a 60-second walk across the street. Hubbard will be sure to enthrall and entertain you, so take a chance on someone you’ve never heard of. Tickets and information, along with sound clips are available at
Del Mar is known for its incredible lineup of summer entertainment. This season the track again will welcome big name performers to the Seaside Stage for its Summer Concert Series. Race-goers can enjoy free shows from a lineup of performers including Ben Harper, Cake and Ziggy Marley, as well as this year’s special Latin concert with Los Tucanes de Tijuana on Sunday, July 29.
Racing at Del Mar happens Wednesday through Sunday, with post time for the first race on most days at 2 p.m. On Fridays first post changes to 4 p.m. For information, call 858-755- 1141 or visit www.delmarscene.com.
Category: Music
